Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Vanilla Extract is compose of two ingredients: Vodka and Grade B Vanilla Beans.

One of the many things I love about this project is that it's inexpensive. Also, if you like to bake as much as I do, you know Vanilla Extract is an essential in your pantry. To this day, one of the gifts I remember most from my parents is a bottle of Vanilla Extract from Mexico.

Ready to get started? Here's what you'll need:

1. Vodka (I got the cheap stuff, but use whatever you'd like.)

2. Grade B Vanilla Beans (I got Tahitian, rather than Madagascar Bourbon, for no particular reason, from this seller on ebay.)

1. Prepare three vanilla beans for each 8 oz jar you'll be using. In order for the beans to fit into the jars I chose, I had to cut an inch or so off of the ends (I put them aside for use in my grandfather's homemade Kahlua). Then, I took my kitchen shears and split them up the middle, leaving the tops connected, rather than splitting them all the way.

2. Put the beans in the jar. Using a funnel, fill the jar with vodka.

3. Place the cap back on and set aside in a cool place and give it a good shake once a week. Do this for two months, when it will be ready for use. Top off with more vodka as needed - those little beans will keep on doin' work for you.

I wanted to be able to use whatever I bought for labels in a creative way, so instead of messing with a predetermined size, I bought the full sheet shipping labels. This way, I could cut them into ovals, or hearts, or stars (or rectangles, which I ended up doing anyway). But I can also use them in different ways for different projects. I'm good with that.

I used the business card template in my word processing software (Pages for Mac), which gave me the approximate size label I was looking for. I imported a picture of my son, chose the font I liked (Courier), rearranged a few things, and came up with the label you see.

There you go! Homemade Vanilla Extract. Here's the cost breakdown per bottle:

Vodka: 1.06

Vanilla Beans: 0.55

Label: 0.07

Bottles: 1.40

Total: 3.08

Have you seen how expensive store-bought Vanilla Extract is? This is a deal! (And you could save even more money if you find cheaper bottles - which I didn't have any luck with.)

Mommy Phrases

"Barbie doesn't go in the dishwasher, Honey."

"No! Don't put the egg on your nuts!"

Followers

Guard well your spare moments. They are like uncut diamonds. Discard them and their value will never be known. Improve them and they will become the brightest gems in a useful life. -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

We are alone, absolutely alone on this chance planet: and, amid all the forms of life that surround us, not one, excepting the dog, has made an alliance with us. -- Maurice Maeterlinck